The Horsemen: Conquest, part 1. (715 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.33 on 6 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by AlahAckbar (View user info) at 2004-10-30 02:26:29 EDT
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, "Come and see."
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
-King James Bible: Revelation 6:1-6:2 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
The soft blue glow of the turret lights shown through the open hatch as the 72 ton behemoth, complete with it's 4 man crew, slowly lumbered towards it's objective. Three other steel horses crept slowly behind it, the engines making a slight echo behind them.
Most don't realize that a 72 ton beast of steal and iron can move so silently. It is why it is one of the most dangerous monsters on the battlefield. If you don't see it, (and if all goes well you won't,) then you won't even know what kills you.
The column moved forward, the drivers letting the engines idle so the tank crept forward at a lumbering 7 mph.
"Go Dead." the call came over the radio.
Spc. John Corbin knew what had to be done, so his TC didn't bother announcing it.. He slid to the turret floor, and silently closed his drivers hatch. Slipping his hand over the dial, he turned the light out.
The mission called for surprise.....and that meant minimal radio contact, as little noise as possible, and definitely no light.
His knee jerked to the right, and the heavy ammo door slid open.
""KEshhhhhherGonk.
The only sound in the turret.
He snapped a red chemlite: It had to be red, so the night vision of the crew wouldn't be effected: and placed it in the ammo compartment. The black permanent marker he had marked his rounds not 2 hours ago was pulled from his pocket and thrown into the ammo compartment for safe keeping.
He went over the round placement.
Arranged correctly, just like the first 3 times.
He Checked the belt fed 7.62 caliber coaxial machine guns 10,000 round ammo drum.
Loaded fine, just like the first 3 times.
He checked the ammo door switch, the arming handle, the elavation disengagement switch, the breach block, the guards, his m4, his 9 mm, the positioning of his bayonet, and the presence of his 4 and ½ inch spyderco Endura serrated combat folder.
All functioning properly and properly placed.
Just like the first 3 times.
He would check it at least 3 more times before they hit the objective.
He reached under his Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear, which was a fancy way of saying "Chemical Suit".
"Fucking Army. Always making things difficult."
He pulled his pack of Marlboro lights from the shoulder pocket of his Nomex fire suit, which he wore under the M.O.P.P. gear. He pulled four smokes out with his teeth, and pulled out his Zippo.
A flip, a strike, and 5 seconds later four ciggs burned brightly in his mouth. He had always done that, lit the cigarettes of his crew. Something his grandfather told him about lighting more then one cigg with only one match during WWII to prevent snipers from getting more then one person.
The smoke drifted lazily up to the turret ceiling, hanging like a cloud
"CP 1: 7650 meters" His driver called.
Corbin reached over and handed a smoke to his TC, who nodded in thanks and went back to his tactical display. Pulling two more from his mouth he handed them both to the gunners outstretched fingers.
The gunner placed one in his mouth while positioning the turret so that he could hand the remaining through the turret wall and to the driver.
Four men inhaled and exhaled the toxic smoke as one.
Training, Fighting, Living, Dying, all things done not by the individual man, but by the crew. Four men driven by whatever desire they had before the army, forged into one unit: almost one person: and trained to do one thing:
Give the enemy the maximum opportunity to die for their cause, their country, or their beliefs.
A tank crew is your family. Four men, bound together by fate, or by destiny ....but most likely by dumb luck. Forged by hundreds of hours working with each other. The Long nights away from loved ones, your crew as your only company, your only companions. Wives, girlfriends, mistresses.....They mean nothing in the eyes of the crew. There is only one girl for them, and they all share. They give her the means of her life: Fuel...Cherry Juice....Hydraulic Fluid....Ammo....
In return she gives them the two things they need. A way to live, and a way to kill.
Corbin reached over, and lifted the coax ammo drum cover again. The rounds were still placed perfectly.
As they had been before.
They had one purpose tonight. Strike the enemy where it would hurt them the most.
It had been 3 weeks since the invasion.
World War III had begun.
Western NY lay before them, clearly visible in the T.C.'s thermal site.
User Reviews
Submitted by StonedSilly (user info) at 2004-10-30 10:18:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Drop an e-mail my way.
harmlessness.at.gmail.com
I think you'll like what I have to say.
Submitted by I_Have_a_Kristen_Fetish (user info) at 2004-10-30 05:59:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
UCP unite!
Submitted by Stin (user info) at 2004-10-30 05:50:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Jeyzus man, where have you been?
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2004-10-30 04:31:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
At last the anxiously awaited return of SPC John Corbin. I read your first story on him (set in Iraq if i remember correctly) and was hoping you'd write more. The ending to this knocked my socks off. Please write more. KNow that even if this doesn't get a trillion hits and a million reviews, it still kicks ass.
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2004-10-30 03:17:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Dear Motherfuckin newbie,
Write worse shit or die
Love,
Method
Submitted by Fr057m0urn3 (user info) at 2004-10-30 03:09:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good stuff.